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{\info{\creatim\yr0\mo0\dy0\hr0\min0}{\author Jia Flynn}{\revtim\yr2009\mo3\dy12\hr1\min35}{\printim\yr0\mo0\dy0\hr0\min0}{\comment StarWriter}{\vern6800}}\deftab1134
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\pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\sl480\slmult1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab The first time I saw her, she was sitting on a park bench down on the corner of Ferry and Corsten, wearing a black t-shirt and a battered hoodie paired with a pair of ripped blue jeans. Saying that she wasn't what I expected was a bit of an understatement
. The arrogance in her personal ad made me had triggered my curiosity. Not so much that I was looking for a date or a quick lay out of her - I doubted she'd give up anything more than her phone number, if that, and I'd have to drag it out of her. Unlike he
r job, she wouldn't be delivering. That was alright. I wasn't into redheads at the time. The very way she sat screamed the same irritation and screw-you attitude from her personal ad. }
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab Miss A.J. Johnson was looking for a fight. I wasn't really in a mind to give her one.}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab I'd run her name through a background check before coming. Full name Ariel Joanna Johnson, known to her friends, family and anyone with any kind of sense as A.J. No felonies. Worked as a driver for UPS during college. Lived in Palo Alto for some time befo
re moving to San Fransisco and getting a job as an art therapist. Moonlights as a freelance illustrator. Has never been married. I'm not sure who'd marry the spitfire in the first place, actually.}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab We'd agreed to meet at Tiesto park - it was a central enough location to my job, and near enough to hers that we could arrange a meeting over lunch. Quick. Painless. Hopefully a lot less irritating than her long-winded emails. }
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab Crossing the street on the signal and walking across the grass, I approached her. She looked up at me expectantly with almond-shaped dark eyes.}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "Um, hey there," I said. I paused appropriately, taking the time to look over her Italian-looking features. As promised, no makeup. I arranged my face into the proper twitch of muscular reactions for a look I decided was 'tentative'. "A.J.?" I ventured.}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab I knew the answer. Of course she was. I'd found her company's business website and her picture neatly posted up there for the entire Internet to see. Her photo, then the title "Head Therapist at Creative Healing Solutions." It wasn't a good picture. Made
her look pale. Unhealthy. Neurotic and overworked. The woman sitting in front of me wasn't pale or unhealthy looking. Jury had stepped out on neurotic. No verdict yet. Bad photography can be a bitch. }
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "Who wants to know?" she said, crossing her arms underneath her ample bust and glaring up at me. I think she tossed her head for theatric effect, but the sun was rather pleasant on her red hair. Made it shimmer gold in the afternoon sunlight. I took a mom
ent to eye her cleavage. Not bad. }
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab I grinned, sticking out my hand.}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "Er, hi! I'm James Winston. Nice to meet you, Miss Johnson."}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab She stared, mouth ever so slightly agape. Good, I'd caught her off her guard. }
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "You're a chick!"}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "Yeah, well, can't win 'em all. I sure didn't get a say in the matter."}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab I flashed what I hoped was a disarming smile.}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab A.J.'s expression in reply was more of a response like I'd killed her dog and backed over it while singing "Shannon" at the top of my lungs. She swung herself off the bench, towering over me. She had to be almost six feet tall. I could understand now why
she'd never been married. The girl was a bloody Amazon in person. Hair that red didn't come in a bottle. Freckles scattered across her aquiline nose. I didn't find her all that intimidating, but appearances mattered. I cowed a little. Just for effect.}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "You're a chick!" she reiterated. Annoyance entered her face and tossed bewilderment off the stage of her dark eyes. "What's your real name?"}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "Very observant," I shoved my hands into my suit-pant pockets, cocking my head to one side to stare up at her with wide eyes. A.J towered about eight inches taller than me. "If you mean by the name my parents gave me? It's Jessie."}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "You said you were a man!"}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab I sighed, eying the little golden Crucifix around her neck.}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "Does gender always have to be about what's between your legs? Really, with all of your eloquent talk and our emails, I thought you'd be a little more progressive than this. Guess not. That's really fucking disappointing."}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "I'm looking for a husband," she squawked. "I'm straight!"}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "A husband who will disregard the fact you're an arrogant slob, scream at you and blithely ignore the fact that he'll never, ever get laid until he's married?" I laughed. "Honey, life doesn't work like that, and men certainly don't. What planet do you liv
e on?"}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab I checked my watch while A.J. attempted to find a response, lolling my head back. I stared up into the branches of the tree above me. Sunlight filtered down through the branches and I sighed slowly.}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "Anyway," I continued into her silence, "I'm not looking for anything out of you. I just want you to know that you're a bitch, and the only kind of men you're ever going to get are the sorts that'd sooner abuse you than respect you like."}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "What the hell do you know about anything? I'm guessing you're not straight." She eyed my suit, the closely-cropped black hair, my own lack of makeup. }
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "I don't think it's any of your business, honestly. Look. I don't care one way or another if you never find marital bliss or whatever the hell you're looking for. I'm just someone who's been where you are, and I'm telling you to stop wasting your time. If
you just want to be owned, go find a pimp. He can do exactly what you want. Yell at you, stand up to you, dominate you, and there'll be none of those romantic overtures - you know, hand holding, PDA. That sort of disgusting bullshit that seems to offend y
ou so much." }
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab I reached into my back pocket and pressed a ten into her hand.}
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab "Here's to your career, baby." }
\par \pard\plain \ltrpar\s1\rtlch\afs24\lang1023\ltrch\dbch\langfe1023\hich\fs24\lang1023\loch\fs24\lang1023 {\rtlch \ltrch\loch\f0\fs24\lang1023\i0\b0 \tab I didn't see her again after that.}
\par }